[ALLERGIC CONTACT DERMATITIS DUE TO NITRILE RUBBER GLOVES: ETHYL ISOTHIOCYANATE AND BUTYL ISOTHIOCYANATE AS POSSIBLE CAUSATIVE CHEMICALS].

BACKGROUND: The causative chemicals responsible for nitrile rubber glove-induced allergic contact dermatitis have not been fully elucidated. SUBJECT: This case involved a 36-year-old female, who developed an erythematous rash on her hands after one and a half months of wearing nitrile rubber gloves at her workplace. METHODS: Patch tests were performed using the gloves as is, and the Japanese standard allergen 2008 and their components. The gloves were chemically analyzed and several detected substances were subjected to further patch testing. RESULTS: The patient exhibited positive patch test reactions to nitrile rubber gloves as is, as well as to the dithiocarbamate mix and thiuram mix in the Japanese standard allergen 2008. Further patch testing revealed positive reactions to zinc diethyldithiocarbamate (ZDEC) and tetraethylthiuram disulfide (TETD) and weak positive reactions to zinc dimethyldithiocarbamate (ZDMC) and tetramethylthiuram monosulfide (TMTM). Chemical analysis revealed that ethyl isothiocyanate (EITC) and butyl isothiocyanate (BITC), which might have been produced from dithiocarbamate-type accelerators (DTCs) or thiuram-type accelerators (thiurams) during the vulcanization process, were present in the nitrile rubber gloves the patient used at her workplace, as was ZDBC. No other DTCs or thiurams were detected. Patch testing of the detected materials produced positive reactions to EITC and BITC, but not to ZDBC. CONCLUSION: We diagnosed the patient with allergic contact dermatitis due to the EITC and BITC present in nitrile rubber gloves, and considered that alkyl isothiocyanate might also have played a causative role. We propose that nitrile rubber gloves should be produced without using vulcanization accelerators.

Complete Genome Sequence of Sphingopyxis macrogoltabida Strain 203N (NBRC 111659), a Polyethylene Glycol Degrader.

We determined the complete genome sequence of Sphingopyxis macrogoltabida strain 203N, a polyethylene glycol degrader. Because the PacBio assembly (285× coverage) seemed to be full of nucleotide-level mismatches, the Newbler assembly of MiSeq mate-pair and paired-end data was used for finishing and the PacBio assembly was used as a reference. The PacBio assembly carried 414 nucleotide mismatches over 5,953,153 bases of the 203N genome.

Complete Genome Sequence of Sphingopyxis terrae Strain 203-1 (NBRC 111660), a Polyethylene Glycol Degrader.

The complete genome sequence of Sphingopyxis terrae strain 203-1, which is capable of growing on polyethylene glycol, was determined. The genome consisted of a chromosome with a size of 3.98 Mb and a plasmid with a size of 4,328 bp. The strain was deposited to the National Institute of Technology and Evaluation (Tokyo, Japan) under the number NBRC 111660.

Isolation and characterization of a bacterial strain that degrades cis-dichloroethenein the absence of aromatic inducers.

Bacteria capable of degrading cis-dichloroethene (cDCE) were screened from cDCE-contaminated soil, and YKD221, a bacterial strain that exhibited a higher growth on minimal salt agar plates in the presence of cDCE than in the absence of cDCE, were isolated. Phylogenetic studies of the 16S rRNA as well as gyrB, rpoD, and recA in YKD221 indicated that this strain is closely related to the type strains of Pseudomonas plecoglossicida, monteilii, and putida. An average nucleotide identity analysis indicated that YKD221 is most closely related to P. putida strains, including the type strain, which suggests that YKD221 belongs to P. putida. Although the genome of YKD221 was very similar to that of P. putida F1, a toluene-degrading strain, the YKD221 genome has 15 single-nucleotide polymorphisms and 4 insertions compared with the F1 genome. YKD221 caused the release of sufficient chloride ions from cDCE to suggest that the strain is able to completely dechlorinate and degrade cDCE. YKD221 also degraded trichloroethene but was unable to degrade trans-dichloroethene and tetrachloroethene. The degradation activity of YKD221 was elevated after growth on toluene. Inactivation of todC1, which encodes for a large subunit of the catalytic terminal component in toluene dioxygenase, resulted in a complete loss of growth on toluene and cDCE degradation activity. This is the first evidence of the involvement of todC1C2BA-coded toluene dioxygenase in cDCE degradation. YKD221 did not appear to grow on cDCE in a minimal salt liquid medium. However, YKD221 did exhibit an enhanced increase in cell concentration and volume of cells during growth on minimal salt agar plates with cDCE when first grown in LB medium. This behavior appears to have led us to misinterpret our initial results on YKD221 as an indication of improved growth in the presence of cDCE.

Complete Genome Sequence of a Polypropylene Glycol-Degrading Strain, Microbacterium sp. No. 7.

Microbacterium (formerly Corynebacterium) sp. No. 7 was isolated from activated sludge as a polypropylene glycol (PPG)-assimilating bacterial strain. Its oxidative PPG degradation has been proposed on the basis of PPG dehydrogenase activity and the metabolic products. Here, we report the complete genome sequence of Microbacterium sp. No. 7. The genome of the strain No. 7 is composed of a 4,599,046-bp circular chromosome and two linear plasmids. The whole finishing was conducted in silico with aids of the computational tools GenoFinisher and AceFileViewer. Strain No. 7 is available from the Biological Resource Center, National Institute of Technology and Evaluation (NITE) (Tokyo, Japan).

Complete Genome Sequence of Sphingopyxis macrogoltabida Type Strain NBRC 15033, Originally Isolated as a Polyethylene Glycol Degrader.

Sphingopyxis macrogoltabida strain 203, the type strain of the species, grew on polyethylene glycol (PEG) and has been deposited to the stock culture at the Biological Resource Center, National Institute of Technology and Evaluation (NITE), under the number NBRC 15033. Here, we report the complete genome sequence of strain NBRC 15033. Unfortunately, genes for PEG degradation were missing.

Complete Genome Sequence of Polypropylene Glycol- and Polyethylene Glycol-Degrading Sphingopyxis macrogoltabida Strain EY-1.

Strain EY-1 was isolated from a microbial consortium growing on a random polymer of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide. Strain EY-1 grew on polyethylene glycol and polypropylene glycol and identified as Sphingopyxis macrogoltabida. Here, we report the complete genome sequence of Sphingopyxis macrogoltabida EY-1. The genome of strain EY-1 is comprised of a 4.76-Mb circular chromosome, and five plasmids. The whole finishing was conducted in silico, with aids of computational tools GenoFinisher and AceFileViewer. Strain EY-1 is available from Biological Resource Center, National Institute of Technology and Evaluation (Tokyo, Japan) (NITE).

Complete Genome Sequence of Polyvinyl Alcohol-Degrading Strain Sphingopyxis sp. 113P3 (NBRC 111507).

Strain 113P3 was isolated from activated sludge and identified as a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)-degrading Pseudomonas species; it was later reidentified as Sphingopyxis species. Only three genes are directly relevant to the metabolism of PVA and comprise the pva operon, which was deposited as accession no. AB190228. Here, we report the complete genome sequence of strain 113P3, which has been conserved as a stock culture (NBRC 111507) at the Biological Resource Center, National Institute of Technology and Evaluation (NITE) (Tokyo, Japan). The genome of strain 113P3 is composed of a 4.4-Mb circular chromosome and a 243-kb plasmid. The whole finishing was conducted in silico except for four PCRs. The sequence corresponding to AB190288 exists on the chromosome.

Effects of phosphate addition on methane fermentation in the batch and upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactors.

Ammonia inhibition of methane fermentation is one of the leading causes of failure of anaerobic digestion reactors. In a batch anaerobic digestion reactor with 429 mM NH3-N/L of ammonia, the addition of 25 mM phosphate resulted in an increase in methane production rate. Similar results were obtained with the addition of disodium phosphate in continuous anaerobic digestion using an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor. While methane content and production rate decreased in the presence of more than 143 mM NH3-N/L of ammonium chloride in UASB, the addition of 5 mM disodium phosphate suppressed ammonia inhibition at 214 mM NH3-N/L of ammonium chloride. The addition prevented acetate/propionate accumulation, which might be one of the effects of the phosphate on the ammonia inhibition. The effects on the microbial community in the UASB reactor was also assessed, which was composed of Bacteria involved in hydrolysis, acidogenesis, acetogenesis, and dehydrogenation, as well as Archaea carrying out methanogenesis. The change in the microbial community was observed by ammonia inhibition and the addition of phosphate. The change indicates that the suppression of ammonia inhibition by disodium phosphate addition could stimulate the activity of methanogens, reduce shift in bacterial community, and enhance hydrogen-producing bacteria. The addition of phosphate will be an important treatment for future studies of methane fermentation.

Complete Genome Sequence of an Alkane Degrader, Alcanivorax sp. Strain NBRC 101098.

Alcanivorax sp. strain NBRC 101098 was isolated from seawater in Japan. Strain NBRC 101098 is able to degrade various types of n-alkanes. Here, we report the complete genome of strain NBRC 101098.